How Birmingham Day Nurseries use technology

At Birmingham Day Nurseries, we’re committed to giving your child a curiosity-led experience.

At The Maples, curiosity features in every aspect of your child’s experience as the team work towards gaining a full Curiosity Approach accreditation.

At The Elms and The Oaks, every day is filled with outdoor adventures and opportunities to let the imagination bloom.

So where does technology come in?

We tend to think of technology as something hard, modern and structured: at odds with the natural resources, free play and outdoor learning that are so important to your child’s development. But technology is actually central to what we do here: building strong partnerships between us, and keeping children safe.

That doesn’t mean we hand out tablets to the children, or put them in front of the TV all day.

It means we use technology mindfully, and with purpose.

Here are just some of the ways.

Parentzone app and iConnect

Every day, your child will develop as they have new and exciting experiences.

Just because they’re at nursery doesn’t mean you should miss out. The Parentzone app allows the parent or legal carer of a child an insight into their day – from what they had for lunch (and how much of it they ate) to how much sleep your baby has had. You can even receive videos of them playing, learning and generally having fun.

Parentzone is accompanied by a system called iConnect, which allows staff to quickly record observations during the day, and have more time to spend face to face with your little one.

Together, they provide a valuable record of their learning journey – and that extra bit of reassurance for you every single day. At the end of your time with Birmingham Day Nurseries, your child’s learning journey can be accessed as a PDF, so you’ll always be able to remember this special formative time in their life.

Parent Corner

If your child is at Birmingham Day Nurseries, you’ll now have access to the Parent Corner, here on the website.

This special sign-in section gives you easy access to a range of information: policy documents you can download, newsletters, and reminders about upcoming events and workshops. It’s all private and secure, so you don’t need to worry about anyone outside the nursery viewing it. And, as time goes by, we’ll have the chance to add more ways to help you – like letting you know if there are extra mornings or afternoons available each week so you can book an extra session.

If you’re a parent and you’re not sure how to log in, ask your Nursery Manager to resend the information.

The nurseries also have a private Facebook group, just for parents. This secure group is another way the staff can keep you informed about what’s happening at nursery.

Both of these are optional, and there’s no requirement for you to use them. If you prefer to receive paper copies of essential information, just ask in the office.

Secure entry

A safe and secure environment is fundamental to what we do.

That’s why our entrances use a fob system that’s much more secure than a lock. It means no one can access nursery buildings and outdoor areas without being a registered parent or legal carer who has been issued with a fob, or by being allowed in by a member of staff who sees their ID and knows to expect them. The system requires you to both log in and out of the building with your fob, so there’s a double layer of security for children.

This system, like any other, relies on the support of everyone who uses it. We ask all parents and visitors to help us maintain this high level of security when they come in and out of nursery. Never allow anyone to follow you through the door of any childcare setting; ask them to wait outside and ring the bell. That way, staff will always know who’s in the building.

Phone-free setting

Although the Parentzone app is a great way for you to keep track of your child’s day, we take a very different view of using phones inside the nursery.

Mobile phones, tablets or any other smart device with a camera or recording device built in may not be used inside the nursery, except when used by staff for observations. This is to ensure no images or recordings of children can be taken without staff or parent knowledge or consent.

If you’d like to know more about how Birmingham Day Nurseries handles your personal data, view the Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.